Lighter construction



July 8,1947.l I A, CAMPOS 2,423,481

LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 1'7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l gmc/M301 July8, 1947. A. cAMlos LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed NOV. 17,1944 Patented July 8, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6V Claims'.

This-invention appertains to a lighter construction for pocket andpersonal use, and has for its primary object to provide a wick andliquid fuel type thereof, which embodies certain mechanical reiinementsthat makes for greater simplicity and eiiiciency in maintenance andoperation; the ignition and extinguishing functions being automaticallyaccomplished by` manipulation of a combined sparkv producing and iiamesnuer mechanism.

Another object of the invention has to do with the provision of alighter construction of this kind, wherein the spark producing and flamesnuier mechanisms are interconnected for simultaneous-operaton, motionbeing imparted to the flame snuier mechanism by a manually actuatedmember andtransmitted by an element of the latter mechanism to the sparkproducing mechanism, the flame snuffer mechanism being automaticallyreturned to its normal flame extinguishing condition upon the release ofthe manually actuated member.

With these and' other objects and advantages of equal importance inview, the invention resides in the certain newand useful combination,construction, and arrangementv of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, set forth in the appendedclaimaand illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevationof the improved lighter construction, inaccordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a Vertical section through the main casing and showing thefuel tank, the cover, and

the manually actuated member, in side elevation,

with a portion of the latter broken away to show its cooperativerelation with the cover for operating the latter from and to its normalposition of rest;

Figure 3 isa view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the relativepositions of the cover and Athemanually actuated member at the end oftheworking stroke of the latter, during which stroke, motion of the coveristransmitted to the spark producing; mechanism to ignite the wick;

Figureflis a side view, partly in elevation and partly in verticalsection, showing the ignition and'flame snulng mechanisms, together withthe actuating means therefor, in detail;

Figure 5v is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Figure 4, butshowing the interior ofV the fuell tank and the manner of mounting thewick holder `and the flint feed tube therein;

Figure Gis an enlarged horizontal section, takenr through the lineIi--S- of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure '7 is a View similar to that of Figure 6, but taken through theline l-'l on Figurev 5, lookingl in the directionl of the arrows;

Figure 8V is avertical transverse section, taken 2V through. the line8-8 on Figure l, the direction of the arrows; and

lookingv in Figure 9 is atop plan View of the fuel tankv perse.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in they several Views, the lighter construction, asit is exemplined'therein, is comprised in a vertically elongated,casing, open at its upper andv lower ends, having a rear wall I0, sidewalls I2, and a rounded front wall Ill, the rear` wall I!! and-adjacentportions of the side walls I2 being extended' above the top edges of theother portions ofthe latter and the like edge of the fron-t wall I4,which edges lie in a common plane; the

extended portions of the side walls I2 being` increa-sed in height,above theV top edge of the rear' wall III, bysemi-circular portions I2'.

Mounted-within the casing is a fuel tank I6 which hasv a at top wall i8disposed iiush in the plane of the top edges of the lower top edges ofithe side wallsA I2 and the like edge of the front wallHIdand its bottomwall 20 spaced inwardly from the lower end of the casing. Formed intheltop wall I8, of the tank I6, adjacent the front end thereof, is aninwardly flanged lling opening 22 in'whichy a holder 2d for a wick 26 isremovably'seated; Depending intoY the tank I6, from the seated end ofthe holder 24, is a guide tube 28 tor direct thev feed of the wick toand through theA holder in a manner to prevent binding or kinking. Theguide tube 28 extendsl downwardly through thev wick aperture of theholder 24 and is removablyk supported lfrom the top end by an annulariiange; 28', restingl on the holder. The lower Vend ofthe guide tube 28is split, as at 23, asf an added means to facilitate greater freedom4 ofmovement of the wick 26, in its feed.

The' upwardly extended portions I2', of theV side walls I2 of thecasing, are centrally apertured, inthe plane of the top edge of the rearwally i, to. receive a cross pin `or bolt S0 on which a cylindrical'member 32 is supported between the sidewall portions l2', the member 32constitutinga bearing for a nie-wheel 35i and afpair of oppositelydisposed pinions 36, the latter being of a gri-rater'r diameter than theille-wheel and madey integrali therewith. Extending angularly downward4through the top and bottom walls I8 and 20, of: tiretank I6, is av flintfeed tube 38, in which theliint it is urged upwardly against the underside of the file-wheel 34 by a coiled spring 42, the lower end of thespring resting on a screw plug de, closing the lower end of the tube.The bottom wall of the tank I' is formed with an upwardly angled portion20 at its forwardly directed'end to receive the lower end of the tubeSlfand to support it inposition to permit of ready access` tothescrewplug is for its removal and replacement by a suitable tool, e. g.,a screw driver (not shown), inserted into the main casing through anopening 4B formed in the front Wall I4.

Also supported on the bearing member 32, is a flame snuffer device inthe form of a co-ver 48, having a top Wall 58, side walls 52, and afront end wall 54; the top wall 5i) having its rear end portion curveddownwardly yabout the rear ends of the side walls 52 in a manner to forma rear end wall 50 and the front end wall 54 rounded to conform to thefront wall I4 of the main casing. Each yof the sidewalls 52 is providedwith an arcuate-shaped recess as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, thepo-rtion of the sidewall 52 intermediate the front edge of the recessand the front-end-wall 54 being depressed laterally from its point ofmergence with the iront wall 54-as shown in Figure 7. Rear end portionsof the side walls 52 are made substantially semi-circular, as at 52',and these portions are centrally apertured for engagement on the bearingmember 30, one at each side of the file and pinion assembly and betweenpairs of spacer collars 56 and 58. The side walls 52 are provided withoutwardly pressed beads S8 extending rearwardly in closely spaced andparallel relation to the top Wall 58 from points spaced inwardly fromthe front end wall 54, to permit of the insertion of a cross pin 62inwardly of their rear open ends to the forward closed ends thereof.Engaged on this cross pin 62, is the barrel 66 of a pinion actuator 64,which is constituted in a spring metal stamping having Ithe barrel 66formed on its forwardly directed end and a rearwardly directed springtongue 68 struck upwardly from its center to bear against the under sideof the top wall 50, of the cover 48, to position the actuator 64 for theeffective engagement of its rearwardly directed end edge with the teethof the pinions 36, at all times. Mounted in the forward end of the cover48, is an inverted snuiTer cup 18, which engages over the end of thewick 25 and rests on the holder 24, when the cover is normally disposed,in which position, the igniter mechanism is completely enclosed for itsprotection against injury, during non-use of the lighter.

The igniter and snuifer mechanism just de- ,scribed is to be operated bymeans of a substantially U-shaped actuator member that is engaged aboutthe fuel tank I6, with its connected end 14 extending transversely ofand below the lower end of the tank and its side portions 16 eX- tendingupwardly between the opposed side walls of the main casing and the tankand in channels l2, formed in the latter. The channels 12, toward theupper end of the fuel tank I6, are deepened, as at 1,2', to house theupper end portions 16 of the actuator member, which portions arepreferably made U-shape in cross section to provide channels engagedabout the edges of semicircular portions 52', of the side walls 52 ofthe cover 48. nels are provided with a series of vertically alignedapertures i8 to be engaged with lugs or teeth 85, formed in the edges ofthe semi-circular portions 52', of the side walls 52 of the cover 48. Bythis arrangement, the portions 16', when moved vertically in reverseddirections relatively to the toothed portions 52', function in themanner of racks to cause the cover 48 to turn on the bearing member 32from and to normal position. To impart upward movement to the actuatormember, a push button 82, `preferably of inverted dished form, ispositioned in the lower open end of the main casing and engaged over thelow- T-he connecting walls of these chan-A er connected end of theactuator member, with a friction t thereon. The actuator member and thepush button 82 are sustained in their normal positions of rest by acompression spring 84, which is interposed between the borttom wall 28,of the tank i5, and the connected portion 'I4 of the actuator member. Bythe frictional t of the push button 82 on the lower end of -the actuatormember, it may be readily removed and replaced to give access to itsinterior, in which at least two eXtra lints 40 may be housed, a sulcientspace, constituting a storage chamber 86, Ibeing provided between theconnecting portion 24 and the bottom wall of the push button. Tofacilitate the manipulation of the push button 82, semi-circular cutouts88 are removed from the lower edges of the side walls l2 of the maincasing.

In operation, the fuel tank I6 having been provided with a supply ofliquid fuel introduced to it through the filling opening 22, from whichthe wick holder 24, together with the guide tube 28 and the wick 26, areremoved for the purpose and afterwards replaced, pressure of a finger orthumb on the push button 82 forces the actuator member upwardly throughthe main casing and causes the apertures 18, in its upper end portionsT6', to engage the lugs or teeth 88 on the side portions 52 of the cover48, when the latter is swung upwardly and rearwardly on the bearingmember 32 to a substantially vertical position at the rear side of themain casing. This movement of the cover 48 lifts the snuifer cup 'Illfrom the wick end and, at the same time, its motion is transmittedthrough the pusher element or tongue E4 to the pinions 35 and the lewheel 34, in the resulting rotation of which, in an anticlockwisedirection, the file wheel 34 abrades the flint 48, causing sparks which,by the angular position of the int in relation to the periphery of theiile wheel, pass to the Wick end for its igniting, Upon releasing thepressure of the finger or thumb from the push button 82, the coiledspring 84, previously placed under compression by the operative movementof the push button, expands and urges the latter and the actuator memberback to their normal position. In the return movement of the actuatormember, the cover 48 is swung back to its normal position, when thesnuier cup 18 will cover the wick end and extinguish the flame.

The subject-matter of this application is related to the subject-matterof my co-pending application entitled Lighter construction, led November17, 1944, and serially numbered 563,882.

Without further description, it is believed that the novel featuresincorporated in this lighter construction will be readily comprehendedby those skilled in the manufacture of devices of like character, andthat its ease of operation and the renements in its design will bereadily apparent to such persons. Also, it is to be understood thatchanges in design and minor details of construction may be resorted to,provided such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lighter construction comprising an openended casing, a fuel tankmounted Within said casing and inwardly from the ends thereof, anigniter mechanism including a file wheel mounted at the upper end of anextended part of said casing and partially within the same, a int-feedtube disposed at an angle with respect to the vertical and extendingthrough said tank from a point below said igniter mechanism and openingthrough the bottom wall of the tank, a springfed iiint mounted in theupper end of said tube, a screw plug closing the lower end of said tube,said casing having an opening in a sidewall thereof below the tank foraccess to said screw plug, said tank having a filling opening in its topwall at one side of said igniter mechanism, a removable holder seated insaid iilling opening, a guide tube depending from said holder, a wickthreaded through said holder and said guide tube, said extended part ofsaid casing substantially enclosing the lower half of said lile wheel toprevent wind dispersal of the sparks emitted from said flint, a covermounted for rocking movements on the eX- t-ended part of said casing, asnuffer cup carried by said cover, said cover being adapted tosubstantially enclose said igniter mechanism when normally positioned toengage the snuffer cup with the wick end, an actuator extending throughsaid casing and in operative connection with said cover, a push-buttonmounted in the lower end of said casing and connected to said actuator,said cover being swingable upwardly to lift said snufer clear of thewick end for its igniting by sparks from said igniter mechanism, uponmanipulation of said actuator from said push-button, and spring meanscooperative with said actuator and said push-button to effect theautomatic return of the parts to normal positions.

2. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with oppositely disposedpinions in operative assembly with said iile wheel, and a pusher elementmounted in grooves formed in the sidewalls of said cover for impartingmotion to said pinions and the lle Wheel when the cover is actuated tolift said snuffer cup from the wick end.

3. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with said tank havingchannels formed vertically in opposite sidewalls thereof, and saidactuator being substantially U-shaped and having its connected enddisposed beneath said tank and engaged by said push-button, the oppositeside p0rtions of the actuator extending upwardly through said channelsfor operative connection with said cover.

4. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with said actuator having itslower end detachably engaged by said push button, and said push buttonhaving an inwardly opening chamber for the storage of eXtra flintstherein below the point of engagement with said actuator.

5. The lighter construction as in claim 1, with oppositely disposedpinions in unitary assembly with said iile Wheel, and a resilient pusherelenient removably mounted in parallel grooves formed horizontally inthe opposite sidewalls of said cover for imparting motion to saidpinions and the le wheel when the cover is actuated to lift said snufiercup from the wick end.

5. The lighter construction as in claim i, with said tank havingchannels formed vertically of opposite side walls thereof, said actuatorbeing substantially U-shape and having its opposite side portionsextending upwardly through said channels and its lower connected endfrictionally engaged within a chamber formed in the inner side of saidpush button, upper portions oi the opposite side portions of theactuator being made U-shape in cross section to provide Verticalchannels therein, the connecting walls of said channels having sets ofvertically spaced apertures, said cover having oppositely disposedsemi-circular portions engaged in the last named channels, and teethformed in the edges of said semi-circular portions and adapted t0 beengaged by said apertures during the operative movements of saidactuator.

ADOLPH CAMPOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,847,790 Steinfield Mar. 1, 19321,944,177 Holtzman Jan. 23, 1934 2,289,113 Florinan July 7, 19421,801,473 Williams Apr, 21, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date58,411 Austria Mar. 26, 1913

